Yours Forever
by Vintage Tea Party
Summary: Henry and Jo have their first fight but rather than pulling them apart it ends up binding them together forever.


Henry was never going to be _that_ man. It was one thing he had promised himself he would never do. But now he had broken that promise and it had led to a terrible fight between him and Jo, their first one ever.

He had been supportive from the start. It had never been his intention to get in the way of things between Jo and Isaac. Isaac hadn't really seemed like Jo's type but she seemed to be happy with the new relationship so Henry wasn't going to interfere in any way. He certainly hadn't set out to be the type of man who would instantly get jealous or try and claim Jo for himself. In fact, he'd been determined to remain out of it as much as possible.

But he hadn't been able to stay true to all of those promises he'd made to himself when he'd heard that Isaac had researched Jo behind her back. Though Henry had tried not to form an opinion he couldn't help but heavily disapprove of the action. Henry had instantly felt a new level of protectiveness for Jo that he'd never felt before. He knew how hard things still were for Jo and he hadn't liked to think of Isaac digging into her private past without her consent or knowledge. Even worse was thinking of how Isaac had found out about her previous marriage and had brought up the subject with her. Henry knew Jo would have brought it up with Isaac when she'd felt ready, if only Isaac would have been more patient. It hadn't seemed a very gentlemanly thing to do to bring it up before she was ready to discuss it.

Even after all of that Henry hadn't attacked the man. He hadn't allowed himself to get angry or stooped so low as to bad mouth him to Jo. He'd only slightly suggested his discomfort over it when she mentioned it. Despite approaching it in, what he felt was a gentle way, Jo had instantly been defensive which had surprised him. Jo was always so secure in herself, so confident, that Henry had actually yet to hear her be defensive about anything. He had only said it causally; he certainly hadn't been trying to make a fight with her. He had been completely unprepared for the bite that had come back in her tone when she had countered him.

Jo was the last person he'd expected to hit him in the places it hurt the most. Ill prepared as he was for the conversation, he tried his best to defend himself calmly but it was hard to do when she was attacking everything he said and making accusations that weren't true. She'd accused him of being jealous which wasn't true. Well, he was at least almost certain it wasn't true. He'd denied that claim but it only seemed to make her angrier.

He shook his head as he remembered the things she had said to him. That woman sure knew how to fight! She knew him so well and that meant she knew exactly how to quickly get a rise out of him. She'd been mad, angrier than he'd ever seen her and she'd wanted to get him angry too. She knew every button to push and every old wound to pick at. She'd gotten what she wanted and soon he was on the defensive as well. He was not used to hearing Jo talk that way to him and he did not like it at all. The things she had said were hurtful but they weren't untruthful. That's exactly why it had hurt so much. She could see him as his faulted self and he couldn't argue away the truth. It just hurt to hear someone else tell you all the worst parts of yourself, all those insecurities and fears you always hoped you kept hidden from the world.

He didn't regret the conversation. He still stood firmly by what he had said and he still felt he was right. It was what was said later and how it was said that he regretted. It was the things they had said to each other after they'd gotten angry that he regretted. He cringed now to think of some of the things they had said to each other after their anger had grown. Though she had said a lot of hurtful things to him he'd said his own fair share of them back. They had never had a fight before and it was like they had saved up every annoyance and hurt that had ever occurred between them to use in that moment.

It was often said that those closest to us are the ones who have the greatest power to hurt us and this scenario was no exception. Jo was one of the dearest people to Henry, really only second to Abe in importance in his life. And he could scarcely remember when he'd had a fight with someone that had hurt as much as this one had.

He hadn't seen her in days, not since the fight had happened, and he'd thought about going to her, so many times. The anger he'd felt had dissipated quickly as soon as the heat of the fight was over. It had been replaced with a loneliness for her that had grown until it left him sad and feeling empty. He cared about her so much and the absence of her from his life was felt deeply. But he'd decided against going to her. He'd been accused of smothering people and it was not his intention to be where he was not wanted. Finding she was still angry and didn't want him around would have only added injury to insult of the situation.

But even though he felt it was her place to let him know when she wanted to speak to him he was pretty sure she wouldn't. She'd already admitted from her own mouth that she didn't like to be the first one to say "I'm sorry." Besides, he also knew that if blame where to be laid on someone for causing the fight he supposed it would be him. He'd started the disagreement even of it had been her who had fanned it into a flame. It all left him conflicted about what to do.

It was late and he was the only one still left in the morgue. He sat at his desk with a pile of paperwork that he was trying hard to focus on. His mind had been elsewhere all week and his work was starting to suffer for it. That's why he now found himself catching up on the non-essentials long after everyone else had left. Paperwork was always the most tedious part of the job and it was not made any better when all he really wanted to think about was a certain detective. If anything, their fight was harder to ignore at work where the lack of her presence had been greatly felt by him and noticed by the others.

His mind was engrossed, only partly in the paperwork, and it had been so silent in the office that he jumped when he heard the sound of his office door open. What took him even more by surprise was seeing it was Jo who was walking into his office, looking anxious as she stopped just barely inside of the door, still far from him.

"Jo," he greeted, more eagerly than he'd meant to as he stood up. He reminded himself to reign in his excitement since she was obviously nervous to be here. He just had not expected to see her and it made him very happy. He knew it was not a habit of hers to make the first move after a fight had occurred and that meant a great deal to him.

He walked slowly around his desk and sat on the edge. She walked a few steps closer though still a farther distance from him than was normal between them. "Hey, Henry," she said looking down at her feet. She looked as if she did not know where to start. So many words and so many days had passed between them.

There was some awkward silence between them before they both, at the same time, broke it by blurting out "I'm sorry." They looked at each other and laughed a little which helped to defuse the situation.

The ice had been broken at least but Jo still stood where she was unmoving. She looked nervous still to be there with him. It was something she had never been in his presence and he hoped that would end quickly. "We've never done that before," she said quietly, glancing shyly up at him, referring to their fight.

"I didn't care for it."

"I've never actually tried to hurt you before," she said looking deeply regretful. She almost looked as if she might cry. The look of deep remorse, the way he could see how much it had hurt her, was all the apology he needed.

"We _both_ said some things we didn't mean."

"So…we're good?" she asked nervously.

"Of course we are," he said sincerely and without reservation. He could never be mad at her. He certainly could never stay mad at her. She smiled, obviously relieved. He could see that the fight had taken its toll on her and he wished he could make her see all the more that he wasn't angry with her.

"I'm sorry Jo," he said. "I know it wasn't my place to say anything and I shouldn't have. But what I said, I really did say out of concern for you."

"I know, Henry. I do. I guess, I just didn't like feeling like I was a failure."

"You're not a failure," he said emphatically, surprised she would even think of herself as such. "Even if things between you and Isaac weren't to work out and I'm not saying that they won't, you still got yourself out there and that was a _big_ step. Just doing that that is an accomplishment in itself. It's more than some of us have done," he said with a slight shrug.

"I shouldn't have said that," she said looking at him with guilt again, knowing he was talking about himself and the very words she used against him.

He'd said it offhanded, but it had still stung when she'd said it. "It's the truth," he said quietly. She'd been trying to upset him and she'd gone straight for the throat. She'd picked at his most painful wound and had brought up the fact he wasn't moving on and had no place to say anything about her trying to.

He could see now that she hated herself for those words. Gone was the bit of relief that she had felt a moment ago. "I don't care if it is true. I should have never said that. I know how hard it is for you and I should have never used it against you. I…I shouldn't…I didn't…"

He shouldn't have said anything about it. He didn't hold it against her; he really didn't have any hard feelings over it and it was only making her feel guilty right now. He took a chance and reached out to take her hand. He pulled on it slightly, bringing her a few steps closer and into a much more comfortable proximity of him. "Hey," he said catching her attention. "It's OK."

"I really am sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"It takes two to have a have fight," he said taking some of blame she was trying to lay all on herself.

"Yes, but I was the one who made it a fight. I know you only said what you did because you care."

"I _do_ care. Very much about you. I know that you don't need protecting. I know that you are more than capable of doing that yourself. But... I _do_ want to protect you. I want to take care of you. I want you safe and you deserve to be happy. I don't want anyone get in the way of that."

She looked down overcome by his heartfelt words. "You're being too nice about this. I was horrible."

"No you weren't. You felt like I was judging you and I know why that would make you upset. But I want you to know, my disapproval of Isaac's actions was never meant to be a critique on your skills."

"I know that," she said honestly. "I really do. I was just being sensitive."

Henry had never known her to be. "Why?" he asked honestly but gently.

Jo looked up at the ceiling for a moment. He knew she was taking a moment to compose herself.

"I'm afraid, OK," she admitted, looking back at him, her eyes glistening and her mouth shaking ever so slightly. Her other hand reached to her throat to touch a ring that was no longer there. She flung her hand down in frustration in the habit that still hadn't been broken. He knew she still missed it terribly at times.

Henry was surprised. In all the time he had known Jo, she had never admitted to fear. She'd felt it of course, but it was not something she spoke of. He knew she prided herself on the strength she portrayed even though he also knew she didn't feel that way all the time.

It wasn't easy for her to admit this time either. She looked down, fighting off tears and getting frustrated with herself. She lifted her eyes, but she focused them on some part of the wall behind him. "I'm afraid. I haven't dated in like 10 years. And...I'm not good at it. I wasn't planning on having to start over like this."

Henry felt his heart break a little in his chest. He ached for her. She had never planned on being in this situation because she was supposed to have been married to Sean for the rest of her life. But in so short a time that life was ended and now she had to make a new one. He had never meant to make this harder in any way; he truly hadn't. He still didn't regret speaking up, or the concerns he'd had that had prompted him to do so. But he never wanted to make this any more difficult for her and he hated that he had.

"You are being too hard on yourself."

"I'm just afraid that...I'm going to be end up alone." She looked down and he could tell that her voice was probably not as strong as she wanted it to be.

There was one thing that still always amazed Henry in life, even after all these years. It amazed him how two people who were so much like each other, who needed each other perfectly, somehow found their way to each other. He and Jo were so much alike. Neither of them of sought each other out in the beginning, save for a professional necessity. And yet as they spent more time together he was finding out just how perfect they were for each other.

Overcome with a sudden burst of affection for her he found himself speaking before he really thought through it.

"Even if this...dating, finding someone else...even if that doesn't work out for you," he paused clearing his throat and trying to think over the beat of his heart, "You're never going to be alone."

He glanced down in nervousness. Would she take what he was offering her? His friendship to her was forever, if she wanted it. He hadn't exactly meant to open himself up even further to heartbreak but the past few days being estranged from her had been awful. Only a lapse in judgment, urged on by that terrible loneliness he'd felt, had prompted him to now give her even more of his heart. But he was glad for the lapse. He was always cautious, to a fault at times. He held entirely too much back from her out of fear and he was glad that this time he had not.

He knew what he was offering her wasn't the same as what she was talking about and maybe it wasn't enough but did she still want it? He looked up at her and found that she was looking at him, her mouth slightly open but turned up just barely at the corner; she was surprised but pleased. She understood what he was saying. Wherever her life went, whatever relationships she made or didn't make, he had no intention of leaving. He always wanted to be a part of her life. It was a huge promise for him to make, when he'd been a man who lived a life that could easily be picked up and started over every few years. Though she did not know that part of it, she did seem to understand that this was a difficult and serious commitment for him to make.

She smiled, taking his promise to heart. "You mean that?"

He tried not to make it sound obvious when he let out a relieved sigh. "If you'll have me?" he said with a small smile.

"I'll keep you, if you'll keep me."

"You don't really think you could be rid of me so easily?"

Jo stood awkwardly, as if unsure what to do next. He nodded his head ever so slightly in his direction beckoning her closer. She hesitated for a moment, for what reason he wasn't sure. But she soon threw caution to the wind and moved against him so fast he did not have a chance to rise from his seat on the desk. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against the top of his head. It wasn't exactly what he'd indented but it was better. His ear found her heart and his face pressed against her neck and he was content.

Oh, how he had missed her. The intimacy of their holding each other seemed to emphasize just how much. It made him realize it so strongly that he almost hurt with how much he had missed her even as he held her again. But the closeness they shared now also seemed to try and make up for the minuets they'd lost from each other's company and the words not exchanged between them.

"I missed you," she whispered, her breath tickling his hair.

He smiled, hidden against her. He was relieved to hear it. He would have to admit that part of him feared what Jo's dating would mean for the two of them. He liked to think himself above it but he did worry that maybe in time she would not have the same place for him in her life that she did now. He knew now that he needn't have worried. If she had missed him after just a few days apart, surly he wasn't so replaceable in her life. "I missed you too," he admitted.

"Let's not fight again, any time soon, huh? I think we are just a little too good at it."

"We're much too alike," he agreed with a smile.

 _I'm yours forever_ he promised her silently. It was a promise that really only he could honestly make. It scared him so much but he would do it for her. He was done for anyway when it came to her. They were so alike, their fears and insecurities one on the same. And it was because of that and each other that they would find their way to overcome them. Whatever they faced in the future he remained confident that they would face it together.


End file.
